Towards the end of dinner service, Matt took a second to lean against the counter and breathe. It had been a long night, but the food was perfect. They'd gotten out all of the tickets on time, and with the final table seated and fed, Matt knew it was time to start cleaning up.
Julie came in to say her goodbyes for the evening. She'd been the first cut, so after all the silverware had been rolled she was able to head out for the evening.
"Night!" she called out, waving and smiling at Matt.
Matt felt his heart flip over in his chest. He smiled back, managing a wave. She closed the door and Matt sighed. Ever since she'd started dating his brother Elliott, it had been torture to see her at work. Back home, he filled notebook after notebook with useless poetry. Some counselor in one of his stints in prison had suggested writing things out when he was sad, and he found the technique worked, to a point. After that, only a good punch could work it out.
But tonight before he could either write or fight there was still work to do, and so Matt turned back to his station, cleaning up the debris that had managed to slip past him.
He and Roberto were lugging several large bags of trash back towards the dumpster when Matt almost ran over Maria, the small hostess about his age. He turned the corner with the bags and Maria squeaked. Roberto laughed behind them.
"Hey!" she said.
"Woah!" Matt said. "Didn't see you there, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Maria said. "Just watch where you're goin, okay?" She smiled and held the door. "Let us know if you boys wanna go out for a drink. Some of us are going out tonight."
"We'll be there," Roberto said. Matt shot a look at the other man. "Who said anything about we?"
Roberto smiled and pushed Matt with the bags of trash. "Come on man, I don't want to go out smelling like a bunch of fish bones."
Maria laughed and headed back in the building while the two men headed out back to the dumpster.
"Man, I don't want to go out tonight," Matt said. "I'm tired."
Roberto threw the bags in the dumpster and wiped his hands on his pants. "Hey, I'm just trying to be a good wingman for you, that's all."
Matt looked at Roberto. "What do you mean?"
Roberto laughed. "Man, are you serious? Ever since Maria started she's had a thing for you."
Matt thought back over the last few months since Maria was hired. She did stop by the kitchen to chat with him, but he figured she was just being nice.
"Seriously, she told Amber about it," Roberto said.
"Who's Amber?" Matt said.
"That server that worked here for a few months, the one I took home a couple times?" Roberto said, grinning. "The one that did the--"
"--oh yeah," Matt said, stopping him before he could tell the story again. "Yeah, I remember that girl."
"Well anyways, I know you're hung up on Julie, but you should give Maria a chance," Roberto said.
"I'm not hung up on Julie," Matt said.
"Okay," Roberto said, his voice making it clear he didn't believe Matt at all. He headed back towards the restaurant, and Matt followed. "Man, you got a smoke on you?" Roberto asked. "My pack is out."
"Of course," Matt said, handing him a cigarette. Matt took one for himself as well, and after lighting it took a long pull.
"So Maria," Matt said, "wants us to go out tonight."
"Yeah," Roberto said. "So we're in, right? I already texted Amber and she said she'll meet us out."
"Wait," Matt said, "so you're still seeing her?"
"Would you give that up?" Roberto said.
Matt shook his head. "I guess not."
Roberto looked at Matt, and put an hand on his shoulder. "Listen man, I don't know what it is you're going through, but I do know what might help."
Matt looked at his friend and sighed. "Well," he said, "it sure as hell couldn't hurt."
